The Netflix streamer: Ken Burns’ “Baseball” (just in time for spring training)

Pitchers and catchers have reported for duty and hope springs eternal all over again. In other words, it’s a perfect time to fire up Ken Burns’ Baseball (1994), currently streaming on Netflix.

Baseball remains my favorite Burns series, which is saying quite a bit. There’s a sense of genuine joy to the march of time from the nineteenth century onward, presented with Burns’ signature incorporation of societal shifts into his primary subject matter. As always, he’s keenly attuned to matters of race: the series pays close attention to the Negro Leagues, and to Jackie Robinson’s courage in shattering the MLB color barrier (the subject of episode six).

The great game is a perfect for the “Great Man” approach to history that Burns favors (to the chagrin of his critics). The Babe, Ted Williams, DiMaggio, Robinson, and on and on: The series, like the sport, is a gallery of heroes, captured in vintage footage. (Speaking of DiMaggio, I still can’t get over this factoid from episode five: In 1941, the year of the 56-game hitting streak, he struck out a grand total of 13 times in 607 plate appearances.)

The less romantic 2010 “Tenth Inning” episode, released in the midst of the steroids era, isn’t streaming yet but it’s available to rent. In the meantime, there’s noting wrong with waxing nostalgic about the national pastime’s past while your team’s future hopes bloom.

Top Picks

Comments

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.

ArchivesAbout this blog

About this Blog

News, reviews, nuggets and tidbits from the world of pop culture, including movies, music, TV, local and national celebrities.